Belle Isle makes ‘industrial tourism’ list
Apparently, industrial tourism is a growing business around the world, as remnants of industry’s past and bastions of its present draw visitors who are curious about society’s growth over time. I guess the former VEPCO plant on Belle Isle is our next tourist trap? The BBC has created a list of industrial tours designed with these travellers […]
Apparently, industrial tourism is a growing business around the world, as remnants of industry’s past and bastions of its present draw visitors who are curious about society’s growth over time. I guess the former VEPCO plant on Belle Isle is our next tourist trap?
The BBC has created a list of industrial tours designed with these travellers in mind from around the world, including Richmond’s own Belle Isle:
Belle Isle, United States
Virginia’s Belle Isle is a place of paradox. Sitting on the James River and rife with freshwater swimming holes, the island is smack dab in the middle of downtown Richmond. The park itself is an odd amalgamation of natural and unnatural, with trees, cliffs, hiking trails and wildlife co-existing alongside abandoned industrial structures. Once home to a hydroelectric power plant, an iron foundry, a granite quarry and a Civil War prison camp and cemetery, Belle Isle is a simultaneously eerie and peaceful place to explore.After touring the island’s abandoned buildings, consider going for a relaxing swim in the park’s blue, freshwater holes, a go-to spot for locals seeking respite from the heat. The James River’s active rapids around Belle also make tubing, kayaking and canoeing popular activities.
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